Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I would actually be more likely to frequent a business that sticks to their guns like this. Similarly, there is a restaurant in L.A. that does not cut their pizzas, and offers zero substitutions on anything on the menu. There are plenty of places that pander to bullshit requests, and people should go there instead. Would I reject a request for a welldone steak? Depends on how badly I needed the business. If I'm a hopping neighborhood joint and I'm getting the good stuff, Marin Sun Organics or something like that, hell no I'm not going to insult the life of that animal or the farmer by serving it well done. Money is not a substitute for integrity.

The whole problem could have been avoided if the barista had simply said, "We don't serve espresso over ice here. But how about an iced Americano instead?" (And as the customer found out, he did enjoy an Americano the second go-round -- he just didn't know he could order it the first time.)

This is far better than the provocative "This is against our policy." You can still preserve the integrity of your business while offering good customer service.

One incendiary comment leads to another -- both coffee shop and customer were at fault for passive-aggressive douchebaggery, and for blogging it out of proportion.